Catherine Fletcher
@cathfletcher.bsky.social
Writing history, usually in Manchester, when possible in Italy. 'Renaissance skulduggery' - The Guardian. THE ROADS TO ROME out now. Coming April 26: THE FIREARM REVOLUTION.
Fascinating read, this
The Hard-Left Shooters Leading a Gun Culture Revolution
Earlier this year, I attended a shooting competition for queer, often trans, very online misfits. Then Charlie Kirk was killed.
www.wired.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Fascinating read, this
I would much rather pay more income tax than have this ongoing chaos at work
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 24, 2025 at 8:31 AM
I would much rather pay more income tax than have this ongoing chaos at work
I don't doubt that some women feel unsafe walking in the dark, but this article would have been much improved if the writer had included the information that most violence against women is committed by people we know and not by randoms on the street.
'Dark winter nights feel like an unspoken curfew for women'
Women in the north west of England speak of how they have to be more cautious as nights turn dark.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 10:20 AM
I don't doubt that some women feel unsafe walking in the dark, but this article would have been much improved if the writer had included the information that most violence against women is committed by people we know and not by randoms on the street.
Has anyone FOI'd the ethical review paperwork for this from KCL?
Under new NHS puberty blocker trial protocols, trans youth are being subjected to more than 50 assessments, intrusive exams, and over 13 hours of intrusive testing - just to access lifesaving healthcare
It demands young people re-live distress & undergo intimate examinations
#ConversionPractices
It demands young people re-live distress & undergo intimate examinations
#ConversionPractices
Trans Young People Face 50+ Tests and Hours of Intrusive Assessments in the PATHWAYS Puberty…
The publication of the PATHWAYS puberty blocker trial protocols reveals how trans young people are required to complete more than fifty…
medium.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Has anyone FOI'd the ethical review paperwork for this from KCL?
Continuing my campaign for the building restoration to be funded by selling rights to a new cross-media Time Team x Grand Designs
November 22, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Continuing my campaign for the building restoration to be funded by selling rights to a new cross-media Time Team x Grand Designs
Just did the immigration rules consultation and while there's almost no space to express an opinion such as 'I would like my elderly parents have carers if required' I did get 'there should not be one rule for rich immigrants and another for poor ones' in there twice
November 22, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Just did the immigration rules consultation and while there's almost no space to express an opinion such as 'I would like my elderly parents have carers if required' I did get 'there should not be one rule for rich immigrants and another for poor ones' in there twice
Great meeting this afternoon to chat about public engagement around the upcoming Break with Rome 500th anniversaries. (This might seem a long way off but not in large project terms it isn't.) Would love to hear from others who might like to join in future conversations #skystorians
November 21, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Great meeting this afternoon to chat about public engagement around the upcoming Break with Rome 500th anniversaries. (This might seem a long way off but not in large project terms it isn't.) Would love to hear from others who might like to join in future conversations #skystorians
You cannot hope
to bribe or twist,
thank God! the
British journalist.*
But, seeing what
the man will do
unbribed, there's
no occasion to.
* GB News presenter
to bribe or twist,
thank God! the
British journalist.*
But, seeing what
the man will do
unbribed, there's
no occasion to.
* GB News presenter
It would be useful to see a detailed comparison of what Gill said (as a result of bribery) and what Farage said, on the same topics. It is perfectly possible he made broadly similar arguments from conviction, rather than for money, though they can be criticised as bad arguments.
November 21, 2025 at 3:35 PM
You cannot hope
to bribe or twist,
thank God! the
British journalist.*
But, seeing what
the man will do
unbribed, there's
no occasion to.
* GB News presenter
to bribe or twist,
thank God! the
British journalist.*
But, seeing what
the man will do
unbribed, there's
no occasion to.
* GB News presenter
They should fund the restoration by selling the TV rights. Pitch it as Time Team x Grand Designs.
POV: you’ve been hiding under the Palace of Westminster for hundreds of years.
See what we uncovered during recent surveys of the Palace as we prepare for its restoration.
See what we uncovered during recent surveys of the Palace as we prepare for its restoration.
November 20, 2025 at 10:15 PM
They should fund the restoration by selling the TV rights. Pitch it as Time Team x Grand Designs.
University management suddenly getting very excited about the one remaining poet in the English dept
Looks like LLMs are *very* vulnerable to attack via poetic allusion: "curated poetic prompts yielded high attack-success rates (ASR), with some providers exceeding 90% ..."
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
November 20, 2025 at 5:58 PM
University management suddenly getting very excited about the one remaining poet in the English dept
while we're on the subject I noticed that my local posh bakery is now charging £12 for a hash brown brioche bun which is another food crime
November 20, 2025 at 4:09 PM
while we're on the subject I noticed that my local posh bakery is now charging £12 for a hash brown brioche bun which is another food crime
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
Job Klaxon:
Assistant or Associate Professorship in Public History with a specialisation in Modern History at Aarhus.
Assistant or Associate Professorship in Public History with a specialisation in Modern History at Aarhus.
Assistant or Associate Professorship in Public History with a specialisation in Modern History - Vacancy at Aarhus University
Vacancy at School of Culture and Society - History, subject, Aarhus University
international.au.dk
November 20, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Job Klaxon:
Assistant or Associate Professorship in Public History with a specialisation in Modern History at Aarhus.
Assistant or Associate Professorship in Public History with a specialisation in Modern History at Aarhus.
This is worth a read: New discussion of "Conservative Public History" with a series of case-studies just out in the journal International Public History #skystorians
Conservative Public History: Special Section Introduction
www.degruyterbrill.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:56 AM
This is worth a read: New discussion of "Conservative Public History" with a series of case-studies just out in the journal International Public History #skystorians
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
Some Sunday reading: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the brilliant @cathfletcher.bsky.social. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
The writer’s bookshelf: Catherine Fletcher
Eight questions about writers, books, and reading…
mathewlyons.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Some Sunday reading: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the brilliant @cathfletcher.bsky.social. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
Gonna start it on some proper medieval theological controversies like whether Mary was immaculately conceived
New AI Chatbots Let Users Text With Jesus https://theonion.com/new-ai-chatbots-let-users-text-with-jesus/
November 14, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Gonna start it on some proper medieval theological controversies like whether Mary was immaculately conceived
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
Exploring The Roads To Rome: A Journey into Europe's past, by Catherine Fletcher tonyriches.blogspot.com/2025/11/expl... @cathfletcher.bsky.social #History
November 14, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Exploring The Roads To Rome: A Journey into Europe's past, by Catherine Fletcher tonyriches.blogspot.com/2025/11/expl... @cathfletcher.bsky.social #History
googling 'what happens if gilts go up' because I can never remember if that's good or bad
And there we go 10y opened up 11 basis points erasing 1/3 of the rally since October.
39 minutes until the bond markets make reeves reconsider I reckon.
November 14, 2025 at 8:12 AM
googling 'what happens if gilts go up' because I can never remember if that's good or bad
to be fair I did buy a nice bike on this scheme while a higher-rate taxpayer but it then got nicked so that tax deduction has been redistributed
Exclusive: Rachel Reeves is set to cap how much you can spend through the Cycle to Work scheme in the Budget
www.ft.com/content/e41e...
www.ft.com/content/e41e...
Rachel Reeves to curb high-end bike purchases in Cycle to Work scheme
Introduction of new cap comes after retailers warned some higher-rate taxpayers were exploiting the perk
www.ft.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:27 PM
to be fair I did buy a nice bike on this scheme while a higher-rate taxpayer but it then got nicked so that tax deduction has been redistributed
Ah, must update my Public History of Hitler slide from the previous "Hitler was on drugs" edition
‘Critical in our understanding of Hitler’s rise to power’ - seriously?
November 12, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Ah, must update my Public History of Hitler slide from the previous "Hitler was on drugs" edition
look, just run some ads where Hard-Working Family is trying to get a tradesperson in, or trying to hire a care worker for their elderly mother, it's not hard
“We need to do something... but it makes me nervous"
Government insiders believe there is political space to make a more positive case for legal immigration. But even Labour MPs who want a progressive shift admit it comes with risk
@zoecrowther.bsky.social goes inside the "tightrope" debate
Government insiders believe there is political space to make a more positive case for legal immigration. But even Labour MPs who want a progressive shift admit it comes with risk
@zoecrowther.bsky.social goes inside the "tightrope" debate
'It's About Earning Consent': Inside The Labour Government's 'Difficult Tightrope' On Immigration
Government insiders believe there is political space to set out a more positive case for legal immigration. But even Labour MPs who support a progr...
www.politicshome.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:22 AM
look, just run some ads where Hard-Working Family is trying to get a tradesperson in, or trying to hire a care worker for their elderly mother, it's not hard
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
Crisis at the Critic Sketchcasting Corporation!
Crisis at the CSC | Robert Hutton | The Critic Magazine
From the desk of Lord Kronsteen, founder and proprietor of the Critic Sketchcasting Corporation. To all staff, It is with a heavy heart that I take pen in hand to inform you of the resignation of both…
thecritic.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Crisis at the Critic Sketchcasting Corporation!
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
The 2nd speaker in the 3rd of our summits on Royal Marriages in 15th & 16th c. Europe will be @cathfletcher.bsky.social She will be talking about the marriage between Alessandro de’ Medici and Margaret of Parma, an essential element of Habsburg strategy. bit.ly/4oh2VUh
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 AM
The 2nd speaker in the 3rd of our summits on Royal Marriages in 15th & 16th c. Europe will be @cathfletcher.bsky.social She will be talking about the marriage between Alessandro de’ Medici and Margaret of Parma, an essential element of Habsburg strategy. bit.ly/4oh2VUh
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
New on the Writer’s Bookshelf: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the brilliant @cathfletcher.bsky.social
The writer’s bookshelf: Catherine Fletcher
Eight questions about writers, books, and reading…
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:41 AM
New on the Writer’s Bookshelf: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the brilliant @cathfletcher.bsky.social
yes but can the Chinese security service hold up all the buses for twenty minutes and then make three come along at once?
UK investigates whether buses made in China can be turned off from afar
Investigation comes after Norway found Yutong vehicles could be ‘stopped or rendered inoperable’ by Chinese company
www.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:26 AM
yes but can the Chinese security service hold up all the buses for twenty minutes and then make three come along at once?
just saying, Tess and Claudia are now available to be DG
November 9, 2025 at 7:08 PM
just saying, Tess and Claudia are now available to be DG